The importance of spiritual mindsets

Brandi and I heard a couple of sermons in the past several weeks that both referenced Prov 23:7a, and I read this verse in my daily reading this morning:

For as he thinks in his heart, so is he. ...

Proverbs 23:7 NKJV

The first sermon focused on demolishing strongholds in the mind:

For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

2 Corinthians 10:3‭-‬5 NIV

Brandi and I have been trying to be more aware of our mindsets and then intentional in believing and declaring the truth of God over our lives.

Father, thank you for your truth.  Thank you for your power to demolish strongholds.  Thank you for renewing our minds.  I love you.

San Francisco Trip

Came to San Francisco this week for a conference cosponsored by the International Desalination Association (IDA) and NEOM.  Very interesting, technically, and also great professional networking.

Yesterday, I walked to and from the conference, along the bay, with a view of the Golden Gate Bridge.  Sang, whistled,  and prayed. Very refreshing. The cool breeze and sound of seagulls reminded me of Jesus on the shores of Galilee.

Prayed for the Uber driver this morning.  She was a little older than me, from Ethiopia; spirit-filled, but very spiritually weary.  I was going to ask her if I could pray for her, but she asked me to pray for her.  I sensed that there was a strained relationship.  She said it was with her parents.  It was very encouraging for her, and it was encouraging to me that I felt like I actually heard something to pray for.  I want to step out in faith more in prayer.

Prayed for the Uber driver to the airport.  His legs are getting weaker, but the docs don't know why.  I commanded strength to return.  I hope I was an encouragement to him.

Father, thank you for your encouragement.  Help me represent you well.  Holy Spirit, I want to be sensitive to your preferences.  Help me think spiritual thoughts instead of just thinking about the things going on in my routine.  Jesus, I love you.  

Thankful for my wife

We had the privilege of traveling to Playa Mujeres to celebrate our 20th anniversary (the week prior).  On the day of, Brandi spent almost the whole day creating a virtual photo album of our ~25 years together and posted it on Facebook with a really special message.  She is so good with words and artistic presentation! That meant a lot to me.  I hope to live up to what she said about me.

We didn't celebrate my 40th birthday last year because of COVID, and this past week, I had been pretty discouraged, in part due to missing that celebration.  But Brandi surprised me with a 40th birthday party on my last day as a 40 year-old, and that means a whole lot to me.  A number of friends and students came on short notice, including my parents and my brother, Jeremy.  That meant a lot to me.

We took an overnight trip to Ruidoso this weekend, and we ended up hiking Ski Apache (9,600 feet to 11,500 feet, ~7.5 miles in 4 hrs, round-trip).  I've wanted to do that since I was a kid.  Dream fulfilled.  I thought it was funny that at the beginning of the hike, Brandi reminded me that I wasn't hiking with Brandon, so I focused on enjoying the journey and not worrying about the destination.  I was genuinely content with not making it to the top.  But after a couple of hours of hiking, when I suggested that we hike for 15 minutes more and then descend, it was actually Brandi who urged us on to the top.  (And Katelyn, who led the last leg to the summit.)

I am so thankful that the Lord blessed me with Brandi, the wife of my youth.  What a privilege!

Father, thank you for Brandi.  Thank you for her partnership and the way you speak through her to encourage, strengthen, and guide me.  Holy Spirit, please continue to grow us together with you in love, unity, intimacy, and calling.  I love you.

His grace is sufficient

2 Cor 12

9 but He has said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you [My lovingkindness and My mercy are more than enough—always available—regardless of the situation]; for [My] power is being perfected [and is completed and shows itself most effectively] in [your] weakness." Therefore, I will all the more gladly boast in my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ [may completely enfold me and] may dwell in me. 10 So I am well pleased with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, and with difficulties, for the sake of Christ; for when I am weak [in human strength], then I am strong [truly able, truly powerful, truly drawing from God's strength].

Today is the first day of the More Water Less Concentrate competition.  My flesh wants our team to perform well.  However, spiritually, I can do well regardless of the worldly outcome.  Spiritually, I can demonstrate the attitude, mindset, and character of Jesus regardless of the worldly circumstances.  I can be a conduit of the Living Water flowing through me.

Father, thank you for your abundant grace.  Thank you for your power.  Thank you for your presence.  I want to be like you.  I love you.

You become what you assimilate

But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.

2 Corinthians 3:16‭-‬18 NIV

If I regularly, consistently, constantly focus on the Lord, then I will grow to be more like Him.

Sadly, there are undesirable alternatives.  If you focus on things in this world, then you will grow more worldly.

Father, help me see you and watch you.  I want to be like you, Daddy.  I love you.

Missing Daddy

1 Cor 13:1-3

I've never seen my daddy.  I get to talk with him regularly, but I haven't seen him.  I want to be like him, but sometimes it feels like I don't know him since I can't see him.

My big brother is much older than me.  I've heard stories about him, how he was so much like my daddy.  But I haven't seen my big brother, either.  I wish I could see them.

Sometimes, I get so focused on trying to copy the things that I heard my big brother did that I forget to be like him in heart and mind.  I really want to do some of the amazing things that my big brother did (in fact, he said that I could do even greater things than he did), but recently, I've been realizing that I think he and daddy both care more about my attitude and motivation than my accomplishments.  They are both legendary for the way that they care for people: sincerely, genuinely, compassionately, and vulnerably.

I have a friend who I'm getting to know better over the years who actually knows my daddy and big brother very well.  He helps me when I try to do the things that I heard my big brother did, but he also reminds me about my heart and motivation.

I miss daddy and big brother.  Can't wait to see them.  I hope that when I finally get to meet daddy, he sees himself in me.  I want to be just like him.

Evaluation

I woke up this morning (first morning in Antigua) thinking about the meetings ahead of me today and hoping I measure up.  Then I realized that the only person whose evaluation matters is my Father's.

I had an image of a large golden-copper square, maybe seven or eight feed wide, and an inch thick.  When a person stands in front, it is like taking an x-ray, but this is a spiritual x-ray.

Our Father sees us completely.  "The one who knows us the best, loves us the most."

Father, thank you for your great love for us.  Thank you that I don't have to worry about what other people think of me.  I want to bring you great joy in the way that I think, feel, and live.  I love you.